Barnet 0 Rochdale 1

Barnet produced their poorest performance for a long time at rain-drenched Underhill on Saturday, failing to score for the third successive home game, and dropped to one from bottom in the Third Division.>

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Barnet 0 Rochdale 1

Barnet produced their poorest performance for a long time at rain-drenched Underhill on Saturday, failing to score for the third successive home game, and dropped to one from bottom in the Third Division.

Only Hull City are stopping them from propping up the entire Football League.

Manager John Still again highlighted a lack of finishing as a cause of their downfall. But that was not the only flawed aspect of Barnet's play. There was a lack of creativity in midfield for most of the match, the defence was too easily exposed and, most disturbing of all, Still's men performed without passion.

A notable exception, as has often been the case this season, was keeper Lee Harrison. He again produced some magnificent saves to prevent Rochdale, lying 18th with only a point more than Barnet, winning by a wider margin.

After Barnet's Sean Devine had had a shot cleared off the line in the first minute, Rochdale went on the rampage with swift, lively raids.

Harrison was soon in action, preventing a certain goal by Robbie Painter, who had burst clear on the right. Painter quickly threatened again, bursting behind Warren Goodhind, who retreived the situation with a tremendous tackle from behind.

Barnet's suspect defence was again exposed when Ian Bryson sent over a high cross from the left, and Alan Johnston's powerful header was superbly saved by acrobatic Harrison.

Bees skipper Ken Charlery went close with a header from Devine's cross, but Harrison again had to be at his best to deny Painter, who took advantage of a mistake by Mick Basham and went clear.

Newcomer Steve Barnes, in the starting line-up for the first time, made little impact on the heavy ground, and midfielder Stevie Searle also struggled.

They were replaced for the second half by Phil Simpson and Billy Manuel, with Goodhind moving to midfield.

Simpson, transfer-listed at his own request, made a storming 40-yard run before being halted in the box.

Manuel surrendered possession twice in quick succession, with the second error, in the 64th minute, proving costly. Miquel De Souza, on loan from Peterborough, got clear on the right and hit over a high cross for Painter to head home powerfully.

The winner was sandwiched between two fine saves by Harrison from De Souza.

Marlon King, who replaced Devine and showed some neat touches for the Bees, should have drawn the sides level in the 82nd minute. Charlery was then guilty of the miss of the match, screwing a shot wide from close range, after Simpson teed him up.

The attendance of 1,423 was the lowest at Underhill since last November in midweek when 1,246 watched a 3-3 draw with Torquay.

BARNET: Harrison, Stockley, Goodhind, Searle (Manuel 46),Basham, Arber, Barnes (Simpson 46), Doolan,

Charlery, Devine (King 70), Currie.

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